Cart with cabinet closure

ABSTRACT

One embodiment of the invention provides kit that can be used for closing off the volume between the top and bottom trays of a hand cart for more secure storage of items on the bottom tray. The kit comprises a first wall section, a second wall section, and a third wall section. The first wall section is generally flat. The second wall section has a first generally flat section and a second generally flat section connected by a corner section. The third wall section has a first generally flat section and a second generally flat section connected by a corner section, and a generally flat door section connected to the second generally flat section by a hinge. The kit preferably comprises a plurality of fastener pairs for attaching the wall sections to the angle-stock legs. Preferably, each fastener pair comprises a bolt and a nut, and the kit further comprises a bushing for each fastener pair.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention relates to a rolling cart. In anotheraspect, the invention relates to a closure for a rolling cart. In afurther aspect, the invention relates to a fastening system forattaching a closure to a rolling cart.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Assembled work carts are bulky items to keep in a sales inventory.Separately stocking easy-to assemble carts in boxed kits andeasy-to-mount accessories for the carts in boxed kits saves in storageand offers customers the capability to easily customize a work cart totheir needs.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a cabinet closure systemfor a work cart that is easy to inventory, ship and mount to the cart.

It is another object of this invention to provide a work cart that isadapted for easy mounting of the cabinet closure system.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bushing to modifythe cart to receive the cabinet closure system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention provides a hand cart comprising a bottomtray, a top tray, legs having apertures connecting the bottom tray andthe top tray, and casters supporting the bottom tray. The bottom and toptrays are generally rectangular and have four corners. The aperture legsare four in number and formed from angle-stock. The legs connect thefour corners of the bottom tray with the four corners of the top tray toform a rigid rectilinear structure. The casters are four in number areconnected to the four corners of the bottom tray. They extend away fromthe top tray. Each of the angle-stock legs comprises an elongated firstplate portion and an elongated second plate portion connected along acorner. The elongated first plate portion and the elongated second plateportion have parallel front and back faces. Each elongated plate portiondefines at least one non-cylindrical aperture, preferablykeyhole-shaped, extending therethrough generally normal to the frontface and back face.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a kit that can be used forclosing off the volume between the top and bottom trays of thejust-described hand cart for more secure storage of items on the bottomtray. The kit comprises a first wall section, a second wall section, anda third wall section. The first wall section is generally flat. Thesecond wall section has a first generally flat section and a secondgenerally flat section connected by a corner section. The third wallsection has a first generally flat section and a second generally flatsection connected by a corner section, and a generally flat door sectionconnected to the second generally flat section by a hinge.

Including corners on the wall sections permits the closure to compriseonly three separate pieces and facilitates installing the pieces on thework cart.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a bushing that can be usedwith the just described cart as well as with the kit. The bushing has agenerally flat first end and an oppositely facing generally flat secondend, a longitudinal axis, and a passage extending therethrough from thefirst end to the second end along the longitudinal axis. The bushing hasa first end portion adjacent the first end and a second end portionadjacent the second end. The first end portion is of a larger dimensiontransverse to the longitudinal axis than the second end portion. Thesecond end portion of the bushing has an upper portion and a lowerportion. The upper portion of the second end portion of the bushing hasa generally cylindrical peripheral surface and the lower portion of thesecond end portion of the bushing forms a pair of wall sections thatextend downwardly from the upper portion of the second end portion ofthe bushing. The lower end of each wall section is chamfered. Thepassage extending from the first end to the second end of the bushing isgenerally rectangular in elevation view and is vertically elongated.

The bushing is well adapted to use with the previously described handcart when the non-cylindrical apertures are keyhole shaped to assist insecuring the wall sections to the cart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a hand cart according to one embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a reverse view of the hand cart shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a kit to enclose a portion of the handcart shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of a cart as in FIG. 2 onto which the kit ofFIG. 3 has been installed.

FIG. 5 is a reverse view of the cart of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of a bushing for use with the carts of FIGS.1-5 from a back side.

FIG. 7 is a view of the bushing of FIG. 6 from the front side.

FIG. 8 is an exploded pictorial view of a portion of the cart shown inFIG. 4 and FIG. 5 showing construction details.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of a portion of the cart shown in FIG. 4 andFIG. 5 showing design details.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the cart shown inFIG. 9 taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an exploded pictorial view of a portion of a cart similar toFIG. 8 but with round boreholes in the legs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention provides a hand cart 12 comprising abottom tray 14, a top tray 16, legs 18, 20, 22, 24 having apertures 26connecting the bottom tray and the top tray, and casters 28, 30, 32, 34supporting the bottom tray. The bottom and top trays are generallyrectangular and have four corners. The apertured legs are four in numberand formed from angle-stock. The legs connect the four corners of thebottom tray with the four corners of the top tray to form a rigidrectilinear structure. The casters are four in number are connected tothe four corners of the bottom tray. They extend away from the top tray.Each of the angle-stock legs comprises an elongated first plate portion36 and an elongated second plate portion 38 connected along a corner 39.The elongated first plate portion and the elongated second plate portionhave parallel front and back faces. Each elongated plate portion definesat least one non-cylindrical aperture 26 extending therethroughgenerally normal to the front face and back face. In a preferredembodiment, each non-cylindrical aperture has an upper end and a lowerend and is generally keyhole-shaped with a generally round hole 40 atthe upper end and a slot 42 extending downwardly from the hole to thelower end.

Preferably, the top generally rectangular tray has a first end 44 and asecond end 46. The hand cart further comprising a handle structure 49attached to the first end of the top generally rectangular tray.

Also preferably, the top generally rectangular tray and the bottomgenerally rectangular tray each have peripheral side walls extendingupwardly and downwardly from each of the top generally rectangular trayand the bottom generally rectangular tray. The peripheral side wallsprovide structural rigidity and a contact surface for the enclosing sidewalls when present. The bottom tray is accessible from an outside of thehand cart when the wall sections are not present. The trays and legs canbe formed from any suitable material, but structural foam has been usedwith good results. For example, foamed polypropylene has been used withgood results.

When desired, bushings provide structure to mount enclosing wallsections to the cart. Each bushing 48 preferably a generally flat firstend 50 and an oppositely facing generally flat second end 52 and apassage 54 extending therethrough from the first end to the second end.The bushing has a first end portion 56 that won't pass through the atleast one non-cylindrical aperture and a second end portion having aoutside peripheral surface 58 that closely passes through an insideperipheral surface of the at least one non-cylindrical aperture. Eachbushing is positioned in an aperture with the second end surfaceslightly protruding beyond the front face of a plate portion and thefirst end portion contacting the back face of the plate portion.

In an embodiment which has been used with good results, eachkeyhole-shaped aperture, when viewed in elevation, has a generallycircular upper portion and a generally rectangular lower portionextending radially downwardly from the generally circular upper portion.The apertures preferably taper toward the front face portion of theangle stock legs and the bushings contact the aperture walls at thenarrowest point. Each bushing has a generally flat first end and anoppositely facing generally flat second end and a passage extendingtherethrough from the first end to the second end. The bushing has afirst end portion that won't pass through the at least onenon-cylindrical aperture and a second end portion having an outsideperipheral surface that closely passes through an inside peripheralsurface of the at least one non-cylindrical aperture. Each bushing ispositioned in the at least one aperture with the second end surfaceslightly protruding above the front face of a plate portion and thefirst end portion contacts the back face of the plate portion. Thesecond end portion of each bushing has an upper portion and a lowerportion. The upper portion has a generally cylindrical peripheralsurface fitting closely against the wall defining the circular upperportion of the aperture. The lower portion of the bushing comprises apair of wall sections each having an upper end and a lower end extendingdownwardly from the upper portion and biasing against the pair of insidewalls defining the generally rectangular portion of the keyhole shapedpassage to frictionally and/or by interference fit hold the bushing inthe passage. The lower end of each wall section is chamfered. Thepassage through each bushing is preferably generally rectangular inelevation view and is vertically elongated. The first end portion ofeach bushing has a generally oval shaped cross section and is verticallyelongated. See FIG. 9. The legs of the bushings fit into the lowerportions of the keyholes to retain the bushings in the keyholes and toorient the major axes of the rectangular passages through the bushingsup and down.

A kit that can be separately manufactured, shipped and installed, toenclose the volume of a cart between the trays comprises a first wallsection 60, a second wall section 62, and a third wall section 64 thatcan be attached to the four angle stock legs and to form a closurebounded by the upper tray, the lower tray, and the first, second andthird wall sections, and the angle stock legs. The angle stock legs canhave round or non-cylindrical apertures, so long as the bushings aresized to fit. The wall sections are preferably formed of sheet metal. Inaccordance with the invention, a four-sided closure for the cart can beformed from three wall section, and by keeping a wall section by theincluded corners narrow, the kit can be shipped in a relatively flatbox.

In a preferred embodiment, the first wall section is generally flat. Thesecond wall section has a first generally flat section 66 and a secondgenerally flat section 68 connected by a corner section 70. The thirdwall section has a first generally flat section 72 and a secondgenerally flat section 74 connected by a corner section 76, and agenerally flat door section 78 connected to the second generally flatsection by a hinge 80.

Each wall section is attached to two angle-stock legs with fasteners 82.See FIG. 10. Preferably, each fastener passes through a passage 84 inthe wall section and though a passage through a bushing positioned in anon-cylindrical aperture.

Preferably, each passage through the wall section is horizontallyelongated and the passage through the bushing is vertically elongated.The fastener comprises a bolt 86 and a nut 88. The head of the bolt isurged against a wall section and the nut is urged against the first endportion of the bushing. An edge of the door section opposite the hingecloses against the second flat section of the second wall section.

Another embodiment of the invention provides kit that can be used forclosing off the volume between the top and bottom trays of thejust-described hand cart for more secure storage of items on the bottomtray. The kit comprises a first wall section, a second wall section, anda third wall section. The first wall section is generally flat. Thesecond wall section has a first generally flat section and a secondgenerally flat section connected by a corner section. The third wallsection has a first generally flat section and a second generally flatsection connected by a corner section, and a generally flat door sectionconnected to the second generally flat section by a hinge. The kitpreferably comprises a plurality of fastener pairs for attaching thewall sections to the angle-stock legs. Preferably, each fastener paircomprises a bolt and a nut, and the kit further comprises a bushing foreach fastener pair.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a bushing that can be usedwith the just described cart as well as the kit. The bushing has agenerally flat first end and an oppositely facing generally flat second,a longitudinal axis, and a passage extending therethrough from the firstend to the second end along the longitudinal axis. The bushing has afirst end portion adjacent the first end and a second end portionadjacent the second end. The first end portion is of a larger dimensiontransverse to the longitudinal axis than the second end portion. Thesecond end portion of the bushing has an upper portion and a lowerportion. The upper portion of the second end portion of the bushing hasa generally cylindrical peripheral surface and the lower portion of thesecond end portion of the bushing forms a pair of wall sections eachhaving an upper end and a lower end that extend downwardly from theupper portion of the second end portion of the bushing. The lower end ofeach wall section is chamfered. The passage extending from the first endto the second end of the bushing is generally rectangular in elevationview and is vertically elongated. Preferably, the first end portion ofthe bushing has an oval shaped cross section and is vertically elongatedto facilitate inserting the bushings into their receiving passages byhand.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 11. Thebushing 48 can be used to secure the wall sections to legs having roundapertures 26 so long as the second end 52 of the bushing has atransverse dimension small enough to pass through the aperture.Preferably, the bushing fits snugly in the aperture and the second end52 of the bushing has a longitudinal dimension slightly greater than thethickness of the leg plate portion 36 so that the wall section will pullup close to the leg.

While certain preferred embodiments have been described herein, theinvention is not to be construed as being so limited, except to theextent that such limitations are found in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bushing having a generally flat first end andan oppositely facing generally flat second, a longitudinal axis, and apassage extending therethrough from the first end to the second endalong the longitudinal axis, said bushing having a first end portionadjacent the first end and a second end portion adjacent the second end,said first end portion being of a larger dimension transverse to thelongitudinal axis than the second end portion, wherein the second endportion of the bushing has an upper portion and a lower portion, theupper portion of the second end portion of the bushing having agenerally cylindrical peripheral surface and the lower portion of thesecond end portion of the bushing forming a pair of wall sections eachhaving an upper end and a lower end and tapering from the upper end tothe lower end and extending downwardly from the upper portion of thesecond end portion of the bushing, wherein the passage extending fromthe first end to the second end of the bushing is generally rectangularin elevation view and is vertically elongated.